Side effects of enlarged optic nerves?

A little more than a year ago, my mother, siblings and I all went in to our optometrist, and it had been the first time I'd seen one in several years (I'd wanted to go in because I noticed a slight blurring in my left eye that sometimes gave me headaches or would make my eye feel like there was pressure behind it, and I suspected it was an astigmatism). Turned out that I did have an extremely mild astigmatism- So minor that the doctor was surprised I noticed and suggested that the only reason it caused me any problems was that I spend long periods of time focusing on very small things- And was given reading glasses, since it only ever bothered me if I was reading or working on art projects.

Anyway, I was also told that either my optic nerves are enlarged, or that specifically the area where my optic nerves connected to my eyes was larger than usual- I can't recall which. I was told that this could be a warning sign of glaucoma, but that I shouldn't worry because my eye pressure low (it's at 9), and also because my mother and sister both have it as well, so it was probably just a genetic trait. He said I just needed to make sure I get my yearly checkups to watch for any changes (I've already had my checkup this year, and am glad to say that everything is fine so far. My astigmatism's gotten a little worse, but the change is so minute that I can't even see a difference between my new lens prescription and my old one).

I was wondering, though, if there are any general side effects that would/could come from having enlarged optic nerves? I got curious the other day when my mother noticed that in photos, my sister and I will get 'red eye' when other people in the pictures don't, or that ours will be significantly more prominent, and I suggested that maybe the reason was because our eyes have the larger optic nerves.

Hmmmmm. Just wondering why you were sold new glasses when there was not much change from the old one.

Glaucoma does not cause big or little optic nerve. I suspect the optom was talking about the size of your 'optic cup' which is the depression in the optic nerve that most people have. More technically the condition is called a large cup/disk ratio. Most people is .4 or less.

Hmmmmm. Just wondering why you were sold new glasses when there was not much change from the old one.

Glaucoma does not cause big or little optic nerve. I suspect the optom was talking about the size of your 'optic cup' which is the depression in the optic nerve that most people have. More technically the condition is called a large cup/disk ratio. Most people is .4 or less.

A little more than a year ago, my mother, siblings and I all went in to our optometrist, and it had been the first time I'd seen one in several years (I'd wanted to go in because I noticed a slight blurring in my left eye that sometimes gave me headaches or would make my eye feel like there was pressure behind it, and I suspected it was an astigmatism). Turned out that I did have an extremely mild astigmatism- So minor that the doctor was surprised I noticed and suggested that the only reason it caused me any problems was that I spend long periods of time focusing on very small things- And was given reading glasses, since it only ever bothered me if I was reading or working on art projects.

Anyway, I was also told that either my optic nerves are enlarged, or that specifically the area where my optic nerves connected to my eyes was larger than usual- I can't recall which. I was told that this could be a warning sign of glaucoma, but that I shouldn't worry because my eye pressure low (it's at 9), and also because my mother and sister both have it as well, so it was probably just a genetic trait. He said I just needed to make sure I get my yearly checkups to watch for any changes (I've already had my checkup this year, and am glad to say that everything is fine so far. My astigmatism's gotten a little worse, but the change is so minute that I can't even see a difference between my new lens prescription and my old one).

I was wondering, though, if there are any general side effects that would/could come from having enlarged optic nerves? I got curious the other day when my mother noticed that in photos, my sister and I will get 'red eye' when other people in the pictures don't, or that ours will be significantly more prominent, and I suggested that maybe the reason was because our eyes have the larger optic nerves.

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